Budget Boxes

[Four Paws]

This thread is to discuss budget tool boxes. Not the tool-truck boxes, but the value brands that are more affordable.

I was in Home Depot to pick up some replacement drawer slides for a couple of my kitched cabinets. I strolled down the tool aisle like any self respecting man would, and this box caught my eye.

It's visually appealing and it has a decent amount of drawers of various sizes. The feature I liked most was the lid and top - it has a power strip built in and would be convenient to store your cordless tools and keep your batteries topped off.

The drawers weren't beefy, but they were comparable to most of the import offerings I have seen. They could have added value with latching drawers.

I didn't think $700 was out of line.

If I needed a box, or was just starting out, I would be tempted to give this one a shot.

 

[exSW]

That looks alot like a Waterloo Magnum.

 

[srcarr52]

These big box store boxes seem good from a distance but when you start measuring them up they fall short. Here are just some examples that first come to mind.

1) Pull out work surfaces are a joke. It's a waste of space, you usually have to clear it off to get to the tools in the drawer under it.
2) Industry standard for a socket drawer is 4.5" depth so you can even large 1/2 deep (probably axle nut) sockets vertically. If it doesn't have that... they are targeting a home owner.
3) That drawer is going to see the most abuse of any... it better be sought. Less expensive, decent boxes have two sets of ball bearing slides to deal with the weight, great boxes have double action large rollers (look at Lista cabinets for an example).
4) Most flip up tops are too shallow to store chargers and the power tools, this one doesn't look so bad but a flat surface always collects stuff and you'll run out of space in a hurry. This is why all of the top box manufacturers have gone to a "power bank" paradigm. With those the third or forth bank is a full pull out drawer where power tools are stored vertically and the chargers and extra batteries are below. It's extremely easy to access.
5) Casters... often over looked, but all top of the line boxes have sprung casters. This is to take up any difference in the floor so the box doesn't rock. When you get 300lbs of sockets in the top drawer and the box rocks on the floor, it makes it a pain to open that drawer regardless of the quality of the slides.

So with this all being said, this is still a great upgrade from a the standard vertical design like a Craftsman or there alike but I would still look for a used Mac, Snap-On or Matco box on craigslist for a while before pulling the trigger on this. Also look at the Montezuma or Waterloo brands which are the generics of the big 3 above. I think Northern Tool carries either of those and to be Honest Harbor Fright has a brand that is pretty decent for the price.

 

[blueberrymuzik]

I have one of the Milwaukee boxes just like the one in the pic. I love it. I keep a lot of my chainsaw tools in it. It isn't where I keep my heavy duty tool sets, but for smaller stuff, you cant hardly beat it.

 

[Wagnerwerks]

Waterloo makes at least 50% of the box store tool boxes. Not a bad box at all.

 

[Jughead]

thats one sexy toolbox

 

[stihl livin]

I was at Home Depot yesterday and they had the orange Home Depot 18 drawer tool box on clearance for under 400 dollars

 

[fordf150]

Not anywhere near a budget box but its one of things i am most proud of so i cant pass up a chance to show it off

 

[exSW]

Waterloo makes at least 50% of the box store tool boxes. Not a bad box at all.

Mine are Waterloo. The top is a US built Waterloo that was branded and built for export to Japan( I have a friend who bought all Waterloos seconds,by the 40' container full). I regretnot buying a 60" box.

 

[fordf150]

budget boxes is a little open ended. There are several levels of boxes from the cheap harbor freight boxes on up. My experience is that the really cheap boxes arent worth dragging home even when they are free.

The older craftsman boxes were really well made. I have a couple that are well over 20 yrs old and have been loaded heavy, used hard and still work like new. Down falls to the old boxes are the friction slides and 90% of the drawers are very shallow but again those boxes have been used and used and used and they still function like they did when new. I also have a newer 40" craftsman(top box can be seen sitting on top of the cornwell box)...maybe 6-7 yr old that has been loaded heavy and used daily since new, it held up well for having less than $1000 in the bottom, middle, and top chest combined. I have no complaints about how it has held up but its a cheap box and with daily use with drawers loaded heavy it had started to break down. drawers sagging, roller slides bending/breaking, and spot welds on the drawers breaking.

The best cheap box you can buy is still meant to just sit against the wall and never move. the casters are cheap and the box just isnt built to handle being loaded and rolling across a floor but for average homeowners and hobby mechanics they will hold up and last a long time if not your lifetime with just a little common sense when it comes to loading drawers and not moving it around too much.

advantages to the good boxes is of course much stronger construction, better casters that are bolted to a strong frame and hold up to being wheeled around a shop all day long. the other thing that struck me is that when i switched to that Cornwell box i was able to combine 3 boxes into a single box and still have room left over. Even with all my 1/2", 3/8", and 1/4" sockets in one drawer, the drawer doesnt flex and pulls out just as easy as when its empty. Downside to a good box is that i have twice as much in that box as i paid for the truck i drive.

 

[blueberrymuzik]

Not anywhere near a budget box but its one of things i am most proud of so i cant pass up a chance to show it off

View attachment 59993

That is a beautiful box!

 

[jake wells]

harbor freight sells a great toolbox for the money.
i got one myself built better than that crap kobalt brand i use to have.

 

[Four Paws]

harbor freight sells a great toolbox for the money.
i got one myself built better than that crap kobalt brand i use to have.

Which one did you get Jake?

 

[czar800]

harbor freight sells a great toolbox for the money.
i got one myself built better than that crap kobalt brand i use to have.

I agree, i've had a Harbor freight box now for about three years and it's used on the farm and it's been great for the money. Trust me it not miss treated, but it's used....

I really need to buy a second one.

I'll get some more pictures later.

The smaller one is used for all the impact guns, air tools and tire repair

 

[jake wells]

Which one did you get Jake?

26 inch 16'' drawer.

 

[CR500]

was thinking of possibly getting this over a SO KRL 1033 at work. http://extremetools.net/7217-rc-features.html

My KRL 7022 is 98% packed

This is the 1033 I want. (sadly the color "cranberry" is discontinued)

https://store.snapon.com/KRL1033-Se...-System-19-Drawers-Extreme-Green-P651215.aspx

 

[junkman]

Costco has some decent looking boxes sometimes for good price also .
Bought my snap-on kr1000 new back in 1989 with side add on and top box ,the roller slides are getting stiff after 28 years of use ,i should see if they are under warranty still .

 

[AVB]

Personally I brought the HFT General Pro 44" Set but I am going to need a second one set as I have already ran out storage in it. I do wish the drawers were a tab deeper. Barely enough to put my 1/2 Aircat in the shallow drawers. The deeper ones are fill other kits. I reckon I could press the old 26" Husky top box back into service for a while.

Maybe I just got too many tools....I know got to make a decision of welding cabinet this year but I am needing one that I can put both of my Ace/Ox tanks on and to storage the related items.

 

[MFL]

I checked out the Menard's tool boxes and thought they were nice for the money. Seem to be on sale often also. You can never have enough toolboxes, better than having stuff shoved all over the garage.

 

[jakethesnake]

I have a kobalt. It's posted on here somewhere.
It's got good wheels n like. Handles bottom drawer full of 3/4 drive stuff well. Wasn't cheap but wasn't the price of a snap on box. Gets used pretty hard. Not daily but prolly a good solid 4 5 months outta the year I'm in there steady. I personally wouldn't pay for one of the high end boxes. I'm satisfied with the one I have.